Call for EOIs: Inclusive Access to Shelter, Food, Non-Food Items, and Site Management (Burkina Faso)

Deadline: 27-Sep-2026

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) is seeking qualified organizations in Burkina Faso to improve living conditions, protection, and resilience for internally displaced persons (IDPs), returnees, refugees, and vulnerable host communities.

The partnership will support integrated activities covering emergency and transitional shelter, durable housing solutions, essential household items, food assistance, site management, solar lighting, land tenure security, and durable solutions. The intervention will prioritize vulnerable households, including women, children, older people, and persons with disabilities.

Eligible organizations should have proven experience in shelter construction, distribution of essential non-food items, site management, community mobilization, and protection in complex humanitarian environments. Applicants must also demonstrate local operational presence, logistical capacity, strong project and risk management, community accountability systems, coordination experience, and the ability to mobilize complementary resources.

What Is the UNHCR Burkina Faso Partnership Opportunity?

This UNHCR partnership opportunity seeks organizations capable of implementing shelter, essential items, food assistance, and site-management activities for communities affected by forced displacement in Burkina Faso.

The intervention takes an integrated approach to improve both immediate living conditions and longer-term resilience.

It will address:

• Emergency shelter
• Transitional housing
• Durable housing solutions
• Essential household items
• Food assistance
• Site management
• Solar lighting
• Solar kits
• Land tenure security
• Community participation
• Durable solutions

Who Will Benefit?

The program is designed to support several groups affected by displacement and humanitarian vulnerability, including:

• Internally displaced persons
• Returnees
• Refugees
• Vulnerable host communities
• Vulnerable households
• Women
• Children
• Older people
• Persons with disabilities

The approach seeks to ensure that assistance reaches households facing the greatest protection and material needs.

Main Objectives of the Intervention

The partnership aims to:

• Improve living conditions for forcibly displaced and vulnerable populations.
• Provide rapid and equitable access to safe emergency shelter.
• Develop transitional and durable housing solutions.
• Improve access to essential household items.
• Support food assistance for vulnerable households.
• Strengthen site management.
• Improve land tenure security.
• Promote durable solutions.
• Support participatory planning with local authorities.
• Integrate displacement sites into local development plans.
• Improve protection and resilience.
• Strengthen local economic inclusion.

Emergency Shelter Support

Rapid access to safe shelter is a major priority.

The intervention aims to support the development and provision of emergency shelters for displaced and vulnerable households.

Shelter activities should help address immediate housing needs while contributing to safer and more dignified living conditions.

The program emphasizes equitable access so that vulnerable households are not left behind during emergency shelter responses.

Transitional and Durable Housing Solutions

The intervention goes beyond short-term emergency shelter.

It also seeks to support transitional and durable housing solutions that can provide greater stability for displaced populations.

These solutions are intended to contribute to longer-term resilience and reduce dependence on temporary accommodation.

Applicants with experience in emergency, transitional, and durable shelter construction are therefore particularly relevant to the opportunity.

Site Management

Site management is another key component of the intervention.

Effective site management can help ensure that displacement sites are organized, accessible, and responsive to the needs of affected communities.

The project will encourage:

• Participatory site planning
• Community mobilization
• Coordination with local authorities
• Protection-sensitive site management
• Integration of displacement sites into local development plans

Participatory Planning With Local Authorities

The program emphasizes collaboration with local authorities.

Participatory planning can help ensure that displacement sites and related infrastructure are considered within broader local development processes.

The intervention seeks to promote greater integration of displacement sites into local development plans, supporting longer-term planning and durable solutions.

Essential Household Items

The project will support access to essential household items for vulnerable households.

These items are intended to address basic household needs among communities affected by displacement.

Applicants should have proven experience distributing essential non-food items (NFIs) in complex humanitarian environments.

Solar Lighting and Solar Kits

The intervention also includes renewable-energy-related support.

Activities will include:

• Installation of solar lighting
• Distribution of solar kits

Solar lighting can contribute to safer and more functional living environments, particularly in displacement settings where conventional electricity infrastructure may be limited.

Food Assistance

Food assistance will be provided to the most vulnerable households targeted by the intervention.

The food component forms part of the broader package of assistance designed to improve living conditions and resilience among displaced and host populations.

Organizations should be able to demonstrate appropriate logistical and operational capacity for humanitarian assistance delivery.

Focus on Vulnerable Households

The project places particular emphasis on households facing heightened vulnerability.

Priority attention includes:

• Women
• Children
• Older people
• Persons with disabilities

Applicants should demonstrate how their proposed approach will ensure that assistance is accessible and responsive to the needs of vulnerable groups.

Local Production Through Cooperatives

The intervention will also promote local production of essential items through cooperatives.

This approach can contribute to both humanitarian assistance and local economic development.

Supporting local cooperatives can:

• Create economic opportunities.
• Strengthen local supply chains.
• Encourage community participation.
• Promote economic inclusion.
• Strengthen local economies.

Land Tenure Security

Land access and tenure security are important components of the intervention.

The project will support advocacy and land tenure actions aimed at facilitating sustainable access to land and supporting durable housing initiatives.

Secure access to land can be an important foundation for longer-term housing and durable solutions for displaced populations.

Durable Solutions

The intervention aims to contribute to durable solutions for displaced populations.

This means addressing not only immediate shelter and material needs but also factors that influence longer-term stability, including:

• Sustainable housing
• Secure land access
• Local development planning
• Community participation
• Economic inclusion
• Resilience

Who Can Apply?

The opportunity is intended for organizations with demonstrated experience and operational capacity in humanitarian shelter and related sectors.

Applicants should have proven experience in:

• Emergency shelter construction
• Transitional shelter construction
• Durable housing construction
• Essential non-food item distribution
• Site management
• Community mobilization
• Protection
• Humanitarian operations in complex environments

Shelter Construction Experience

Organizations should be able to demonstrate relevant technical experience in shelter construction.

Experience may cover:

• Emergency shelters
• Transitional shelters
• Durable housing solutions

Applicants should be prepared to demonstrate that they have the technical and operational capacity required to deliver shelter activities safely and effectively.

Site Management and Community Mobilization

Applicants should have experience managing displacement sites and engaging affected communities.

Community mobilization capacity is particularly important because affected populations need to participate in decisions concerning site organization, assistance, and protection.

Organizations should demonstrate their ability to combine site management with appropriate protection and community-engagement approaches.

Operational Presence in Targeted Regions

Applicants should have an operational presence in the targeted regions.

Local presence can support:

• Faster response
• Better understanding of community needs
• Stronger relationships with local authorities
• Improved logistics
• More effective community engagement
• Better coordination with other humanitarian actors

Logistical Capacity

The intervention includes the delivery and installation of physical assistance, including shelters, essential household items, food, solar lighting, and solar kits.

Applicants therefore need sufficient logistical capacity to manage procurement, transportation, storage, distribution, and related operational requirements.

Coordination With Other Actors

Applicants should actively participate in relevant humanitarian coordination mechanisms.

Coordination can help ensure that activities complement existing assistance and reduce duplication.

Organizations should demonstrate their ability to work collaboratively with other sector actors and humanitarian partners.

Project and Financial Management

Strong project-management capacity is required.

Applicants should demonstrate systems for:

• Planning
• Budget management
• Procurement
• Implementation
• Monitoring
• Reporting
• Financial control
• Risk management

Strong financial systems are particularly important for managing large-scale humanitarian assistance and documenting project resources.

Risk Management and Security Planning

Organizations must have the ability to manage operational and security risks.

Applicants should demonstrate appropriate:

• Risk-management systems
• Security-planning procedures
• Staff safety measures
• Operational contingency planning
• Context-sensitive implementation approaches

These capacities are particularly important when working in complex humanitarian environments.

Accountability to Affected Communities

Applicants should have mechanisms that allow affected communities to provide feedback and raise concerns.

Accountability systems should support:

• Community feedback
• Complaints
• Information sharing
• Participation
• Response to community concerns

These mechanisms can help improve the quality and relevance of assistance.

Co-Mobilization of Resources

The partnership expects organizations to have the ability to co-mobilize resources and complement the work of other sector actors.

Applicants should explain how their organization can contribute to the wider humanitarian response and avoid duplication with existing interventions.

Financial and In-Kind Contributions

Any financial or in-kind contributions to the project must be properly justified and documented.

In-kind contributions may include relevant resources such as:

• Human resources
• Equipment
• Operational support
• Other project-related contributions

Applicants should clearly explain the nature and value of their contributions and how these resources will support implementation.

How to Prepare a Strong Application

A strong application should demonstrate that the organization can deliver an integrated response rather than addressing shelter needs in isolation.

Applicants should clearly highlight:

• Shelter construction experience
• NFI distribution experience
• Site-management expertise
• Community mobilization
• Protection capacity
• Local presence
• Logistics systems
• Coordination experience
• Security and risk-management systems
• Financial and project-management capacity
• Accountability mechanisms
• Resource contributions
• Ability to complement other humanitarian actors

The proposed approach should clearly connect activities with improved living conditions, protection, resilience, and durable solutions.

Key Facts at a Glance

• Organization: United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)
• Country: Burkina Faso
• Opportunity type: Partnership opportunity / Call for Expression of Interest
• Primary focus: Shelter, essential items, food assistance, and site management
• Target groups: IDPs, returnees, refugees, and vulnerable host communities
• Shelter focus: Emergency, transitional, and durable housing
• Other assistance: Essential household items, food, solar lighting, and solar kits
• Site management: Community mobilization, protection, and participatory planning
• Land focus: Land tenure security and advocacy
• Durable solutions: Sustainable housing and access to land
• Economic inclusion: Local production through cooperatives
• Priority groups: Women, children, older people, and persons with disabilities
• Applicant expertise: Shelter, NFIs, site management, community mobilization, protection
• Operational requirement: Presence in targeted regions and capacity to work in complex humanitarian environments
• Additional requirements: Logistics, coordination, project and financial management, security planning, accountability
• Contributions: Financial and in-kind contributions must be justified and documented

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the UNHCR Burkina Faso shelter partnership opportunity?

It is an opportunity for qualified organizations to partner with UNHCR to improve shelter, essential household items, food assistance, and site management for displaced and vulnerable communities in Burkina Faso.

Who will benefit from the intervention?

The program targets internally displaced persons, returnees, refugees, vulnerable host communities, and particularly vulnerable households.

What types of shelter are included?

The intervention covers emergency shelters, transitional housing, and durable housing solutions.

Will the program provide essential household items?

Yes. The project includes access to essential household items and non-food assistance for vulnerable households.

Does the project include food assistance?

Yes. Food assistance is included as part of the integrated response for the most vulnerable households.

Are solar solutions included?

Yes. The intervention includes the installation of solar lighting and distribution of solar kits.

Does the project address land tenure?

Yes. Advocacy and land tenure actions will support sustainable access to land and durable housing initiatives.

How will local economies benefit?

The project will support local production of essential items through cooperatives, helping promote economic inclusion and strengthen local economies.

What experience should applicants have?

Organizations should have proven experience in shelter construction, essential non-food item distribution, site management, community mobilization, and protection in complex humanitarian contexts.

Is local presence required?

Yes. Applicants should have an operational presence in the targeted regions as well as the logistical capacity needed to implement the project.

Is coordination experience important?

Yes. Applicants should actively participate in relevant coordination mechanisms and demonstrate the ability to complement the work of other sector actors.

Are security-management systems required?

Yes. Applicants should demonstrate effective risk management and security-planning capacity appropriate to complex humanitarian environments.

Are community feedback mechanisms required?

Yes. Organizations should have accountability mechanisms that allow affected communities to provide feedback and raise concerns.

Do organizations need to contribute resources?

Applicants should have the ability to co-mobilize resources. Any financial or in-kind contributions must be properly justified and documented.

Conclusion

The UNHCR Burkina Faso Shelter, Food Assistance and Site Management Partnership aims to improve living conditions, protection, and resilience for displaced people and vulnerable host communities through an integrated humanitarian response.

The initiative combines emergency shelter with transitional and durable housing, essential household items, food assistance, solar solutions, site management, land tenure support, and local economic inclusion. It also emphasizes participatory planning, community accountability, coordination, and durable solutions.

Organizations with strong shelter and site-management expertise, local operational presence, logistical capacity, community networks, and experience working in complex security environments can contribute significantly to this effort. A strong application should demonstrate technical expertise, sound management systems, meaningful community engagement, effective risk management, and clearly documented resource contributions.

For more information, visit UN Partner Portal.